Evil Fairies Love Hair

Gr 4–6—Ali wishes she were smart. As smart as her perfect sister, Hannah. And smart enough to please her disapproving mother. Now that Ali has entered into an agreement with a clan of magical fairies, that new level of intelligence seems to be within her grasp. All she has to do is grow 100 new fairies in her back yard, and her fondest wish will be granted. Cultivating a fairy crop, however, proves more of a challenge than middle schooler Ali expected. What follows is a coming-of-age journey in which Ali's been-there-all-along brains save her friends and family from the evil imps. Unfortunately, it's tough to really care about this heroine and her quest, as a confounding series of twists and turns renders this fantasy plot almost impossible to follow. Adding to the confusion is a long list of indistinguishable secondary characters and the frequent inclusion of quirky terminology ("Un-Parent-Parent-Duplication-Un-Imptimization-Final-Freedom spell") without context or explanation.—Susan Wengler, Saint Dominic Academy, Jersey City, NJ